Independent participatory media for Iran

Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported the arrest of “seven al-Qaeda members” in Sardasht, in the north east of Iran.
IRNA quotes a knowledgeable source saying that these seven individuals were involved in “propaganda activities to promote Wahhabism and creating divisions between Shiites and Sunnis.”

Sardasht is one of Iran’s Kurdish regions and its residents are mainly Sunnis.

The IRNA report adds that the detainees had been reportedly under surveillance for over a month and were arrested by the “unknown soldiers of Imam Zaman” and surrendered to the judiciary.

The “unknown soldiers of Imam Zaman” are reportedly a special branch of Iran’s ministry of intelligence.

IRNA made no reference about the nationality of the detainees or whether they were involved in any terrorist activities.

These arrests come after US foreign ministry accused Iran in its annual report of stalling the identification and prosecution of detained al-Qaeda members in Iran.